1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector which includes a plurality of apertures through which nails would be driven through in order to secure separate pieces of building material together. More specifically, the invention relates to a connector wherein structure is provided to secure a nail thereto and to permit the nail to be brought selectively into alignment with the aperture and locked into position prior to it being driven home.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Two of the most common connectors used in construction are the joist hanger and the hurricane clip. The first of these is used to connect a joist or rafter to a beam, ledger, wall, or the like, and the second is used to connect the base of a roof truss to the plate to prevent the roof from lifting under a high wind load. These connectors are well known on any construction site. The above mentioned connectors, as well as a variety of other types of connectors, are secured to the building materials by a plurality of nails driven through apertures present in the connectors. Positioning these nails above the aperture and then driving them home is difficult and often the workman would drop the nail or possibly would strike his finger or hand with the hammer. This is inefficient at best and painful at worst.
The applicant has addressed this problem in his prior patent application, Ser. No. 09/411,318. In that application, the nails are self-positioning, that is integral with the connector so that the installer only needs to move or flip the nail into position, and then hammer the nail home. The nail is held in the correct position by a sleeve that then may serve as a type of bushing to completely fill the aperture when the nail is driven completely in.
The instant invention provides some of the same structure but further includes locking means to keep the nail in alignment with the aperture. The locking means includes a male portion on the fastener engagement means and a female portion on the aperture engagement means. When the fastener engagement means is rotated about the hinge, the nail (fastener) comes into alignment with the aperture. At this point, the male portion matingly engages the female portion and secures the fastener engagement means with the aperture engagement means.
Thus, while some of the structure of the instant invention is shown in the parent application of this case, it was not contemplated to have means to lock the fastener engagement means atop the aperture engagement means. The locking means to secure the fastener engagement means atop the aperture engagement means allows the workman enhanced ease in the installation of these connectors on a construction or other work site, providing a xe2x80x9chand-freexe2x80x9d environment that speeds installation time, prevents injury, and saves in labor costs.
A mechanical connector having apertures to be used to secure different pieces of construction material in relation to each other is provided with structure to hold a nail thereto. This structure further permits the nail to be brought into selective alignment with the aperture allowing the nail to be driven home without the workman holding the nail. The invention includes an aperture engagement structure which is provided in the aperture of the connector. The nail is held in a fastener engagement structure, which has the structure of a sleeve. The fastener engagement structure is attached to the aperture engagement structure on their common first side by a hinge. The fastener engagement structure further has a male portion located on its second side. The aperture engagement structure further has a female portion located on its second side. In a first configuration, the nails are held flat against the body of the connector. When it is desired to drive the nail, the user rotates one or more of the nails into a second, upright position about the hinge. In this second position the male portion engages the female portion causing the fastener engagement structure and the aperture engagement structure to be locked together. This aligns the nail with the aperture present on the connector. Once the sleeve is locked in the upright position the user then drives the nail home. The sleeve may include a corrugated interior to assist in gripping the nail more firmly in place. Also, the sleeve may be scored so that when the nail is driven, the sleeve splits and falls out of the way.
Another contemplated embodiment of the invention is one in which a number of the flexible nail retainers are attached together such that when the user moves them into the upright position, all the nails are aligned with their respective apertures on the connector. This would permit one movement to set up all of the nails at once on the connector.
The flexible nail retainers can be made of a variety of materials, such as plastic or metal and may further include a press fit clip, rivet, or the like incorporated into the aperture.
Thus it is an object of the invention to provide a connector that includes a flexible nail retainer for all the nails required to attach the connector to its various building components.
It is an object of the invention to provide an aperture engagement means to be fitted on the apertures of the connector.
It is an object of the invention to provide a hinge, the hinge connecting the first side of the fastener engagement means to the first side of the aperture engagement means.
It is an object of the invention to provide a male portion on the second side of the fastener engagement means.
It is an object of the invention to provide a female portion on the second side of the aperture engagement means.
It is an object of the invention whereby the male portion matingly engages the female portion when the fastener engagement means is rotated about the hinge, (bringing the nail into selective alignment with an aperture) locking the fastener engagement means atop the aperture engagement means.
These together with still other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.